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International Network for Bamboo and Rattan
INBAR, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, is an intergovernmental organization bringing together some 41 countries for the promotion of the ecosystem benefits and values of bamboo and rattan.
Copyright and Fair Use
This publication is licensed for use under the Creative Commons
Attribution–Non-commercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Licence. To view this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ Unless otherwise noted, you are free to copy, duplicate, or reproduce and distribute, display, or transmit any part of this publication or portions thereof without permission and to make translations, adaptations, or other derivative works under the following conditions:
Attribution: The work must be attributed, but not in any way that suggests endorsement by the publisher or the author(s).
Non-commercial: This work may not be used for commercial purposes.
Share Alike: If this work is altered, transformed, or built upon, the resulting work must be distributed only under the same or similar license to this one.
Keywords: bamboo, life cycle assessment, product, carbon sequestration, climate change, INBAR All photos are copyright MOSO International and/or INBAR
except frontpage: Tel-Aviv University, photograph by Elad Gonen
International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is the multilateral development organisation of 41 Member States for the promotion of bamboo and rattan. INBAR supports its members to include bamboo and rattan in their sustainable development action plans and green economy strategies. It promotes innovative ways of using bamboo and rattan to improve rural livelihoods, protect the environment, address climate change and issues of international bamboo and rattan trade and standards. INBAR connects a global network of partners from government, private and NGO sectors to promote a global agenda for sustainable development using bamboo and rattan.
For more information, please visit www.inbar.int.
Address: No. 8 Fu Tong Dong Da Jie, Wang Jing, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102, P.R. China. Tel: +86-10-64706161; Fax: +86-10-64702166;
E-mail: info@inbar.int
The Design for Sustainability (DfS) Program of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of Delft University of Technology focuses on research in the field of sustainable development. The mass consumption of goods and services should involve the continuous improvement of environmental, economic and social-cultural values. The central objective of the DfS research programme is the exploration, description, understanding and prediction of problems and opportunities for innovating and designing products and product service systems of superior quality. For more information please visit www.io.tudelft.nl
Address: Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Design for Sustainability Program Landbergstraat 15, 2628 CE Delft,
the Netherlands Tel +31 (0)152782738; Fax +31 (0)152782956; email: dfs-io@tudelft.nl
MOSO International was founded in the Netherlands in 1997 and since that time has established itself as the European market leader in the development of innovative and sustainable bamboo products in four product groups: flooring, outdoor (cladding and decking), panels, veneer and beams and unlimited solutions (customized solutions for industrial clients). Besides product excellence and innovation, sustainability is one of the key drivers of our business. We continuously strive to improve the already excellent environmental performance of MOSO’s bamboo products and the company tries to communicate this in a transparent manner following internationally accepted methodologies. This INBAR Technical Report certainly contributes to that goal.
For more information about MOSO International please visit www.moso.eu. Address: Adam Smithweg 2, 1689 ZW Zwaag, the Netherlands
Tel +31(0)229265732; email info@moso.eu The publication of this report was supported by MOSO International BV
www.moso.eu
International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) PO Box 100102-86, Beijing 100102, P. R. China
Tel: +86-10-6470 6161; Fax: +86-10-6470 2166; Email: info@inbar.int
www.inbar.int
ISBN: 978-92-95098-89-3 (printed) 978-92-95098-90-9 (online)
© 2015 INBAR - International Network for Bamboo and Rattan Printed on recycled paper
International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR) is the multilateral development organisation of 41 Member States for the promotion of bamboo and rattan. INBAR supports its members to include bamboo and rattan in their sustainable development action plans and green economy strategies. It promotes innovative ways of using bamboo and rattan to improve rural livelihoods, protect the environment, address climate change and issues of international bamboo and rattan trade and standards. INBAR connects a global network of partners from government, private and NGO sectors to promote a global agenda for sustainable development using bamboo and rattan.
For more information, please visit www.inbar.int.
Address: No. 8 Fu Tong Dong Da Jie, Wang Jing, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100102, P.R. China. Tel: +86-10-64706161; Fax: +86-10-64702166;
E-mail: info@inbar.int
This study was conducted in conjunction with the Design for Sustainability (DfS) Program of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering of Delft University of Technology. DfS focuses on research in the field of sustainable development. The mass consumption of goods and services should involve the continuous improvement of environmental, economic and social-cultural values. The central objective of the DfS research programme is the exploration, description, understanding and prediction of problems and opportunities for innovating and designing products and product service systems of superior quality.
For more information please visit www.io.tudelft.nl
Address: Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Design for Sustainability Program Landbergstraat 15, 2628 CE Delft,
the Netherlands Tel +31 (0)152782738; Fax +31 (0)152782956; email: dfs-io@tudelft.nl
MOSO International was founded in the Netherlands in 1997 and since that time has established itself as the European market leader in the development of innovative and sustainable bamboo products in four product groups: flooring, outdoor (cladding and decking), panels, veneer and beams and unlimited solutions (customized solutions for industrial clients). Besides product excellence and innovation, sustainability is one of the key drivers of our business. We continuously strive to improve the already excellent environmental performance of MOSO’s bamboo products and the company tries to communicate this in a transparent manner following internationally accepted methodologies. This INBAR Technical Report certainly contributes to that goal.
For more information about MOSO International please visit www.moso.eu. Address: Adam Smithweg 2, 1689 ZW Zwaag, the Netherlands
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1. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
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2. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
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Changing consumption patterns are placing increasing pressure on the world’s natural resources and fuelling financial, food and climate crises around the globe. A more sustainable approach to economic development is needed that accounts for all components of the production and consumption processes, from the raw materials used in production to the waste that is disposed after consumption. This study considers whether the use of industrial products made from bamboo can help to offset the environmental effects of climate change, provided the bamboo is harvested from a natural forest or a plantation created to improve degraded lands.
The study used a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach to gauge the environmental impact, including the carbon footprint, of industrial products in Western Europe made from bamboo and to compare it with that of more commonly used materials such as tropical hardwood. The LCA also reveals how each step of the production process effects the overall environmental impact of the product. As a result of the assessment, MOSO International BV, the supplier of the bamboo materials used in this study, has been able to improve many of its production processes.
This report updates the environmental assessments made in the PhD thesis Design Interventions for Stimulating Bamboo Commercialization by Pablo van der Lugt (2008). The new data are based on the latest bamboo production figures and updates of relevant databases.
The authors have assumed that the raw bamboo cited in the study, which is sourced from China, originates from either natural bamboo stands or from plantations established through a national landscape improvement programme. This programme aims to transform slope agriculture and barren lands into healthy, productive bamboo forest.
We hope that this study might be useful to manufacturers and other stakeholders in bamboo and wood production chains that want to reduce the environmental impacts of their products. It also shows the positive role that bamboo can play in mitigating the effects of climate change and helping people to adapt to the impact of climate change on their surroundings. By highlighting the potential of bamboo to contribute to sustainable building practices, we also hope to increase its global market share.
Dr. Hans Friederich Director General, INBAR October 2015
4. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 3. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
This report presents the results of a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint analysis of a selection of industrial bamboo products that are manufactured by the company MOSO International. The analysis was done to determine the impact that their production and disposal have on the environment. Bamboo flooring, decking, panels and beams have been evaluated.
A comprehensive explanation is offered of how carbon sequestration can be calculated, following LCA methodology. This LCA is specific to the product evaluations described in this report and not applicable to the other manufacturers’ products. The assessment described here is done for the production (cradle-to-gate) plus the waste (end-of-life) stages of the bamboo products, but does not include the user stage, when the product is in use by consumers after purchase.
Bamboo products are increasingly found in western markets, with recorded international trade of some $2 bn in 2012, the majority of which is imported to European and North American consumer countries. As bamboo products are increasingly perceived as “green” and environmentally friendly, it is important to have an effective way to evaluate and verifying these claims – to reassure producers and consumers, and help producers find ways to make their production system even “greener”. The LCA is a widely used and recognized method for achieving this.
This study shows that if production parameters are optimised, these industrial bamboo products can have a negative carbon footprint over their full life-cycle, from cradle to grave. This means that the credits gained through carbon sequestration and burning to produce electricity in a power plant at the end of each product’s life outweigh the emissions caused by the production and transport processes. At end-of-life, it is assumed that 90% of the bamboo products are incinerated in an electrical power plant and 10% will end-up in landfill, a realistic scenario for Western Europe. The LCA was done following International standards ISO 14040 and 14044. In addition, the capture and storage (sequestration) of CO2 has been taken into account.
It is hoped that the analysis described here will inform and encourage other bamboo producers to do similar life-cycle analyses of their production systems, to better understand where they can focus investments to reduce the environmental impacts of their products. It also aims to inform policy-makers about the sustainability of bamboo products, to encourage them to specify the use of this resource in national and international policies and investment plans.
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Biogenic CO2 is captured in biomass during the growth of a plant or tree and, consequently, in a biologically-based product.
Carbon footprint is a commonly used methodology in which the greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of a product can be measured in terms of their kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e).
Carbon negative is a negative outcome of the carbon footprint of a product, i.e. when carbon credits through carbon sequestration and energy production at the end of life phase are higher than the emissions caused by production and transport.
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, in this case in bamboo biomass (forests and products).
Cradle-to-gate assessments describe the aggregated environmental impact of a product during production, i.e. from resource extraction, transport and final processing until it is ready for shipment to the customer at the factory gate.
Cradle-to-grave assessments include the aggregated environmental impact of a product during the use and end-of-life phases, thus throughout its full life cycle.
Eco-cost is an indicator in the Life-Cycle Assessment (see below) used to express the total environmental burden of a product over its life cycle on the basis of the prevention of that burden.
Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a methodology used to assess the environmental impact associated with all stages of a product’s life cycle from cradle-to-grave (see above). In contrast to a carbon footprint assessment, LCA is based on several environmental indicators which, besides the Global Warming Potential (carbon footprint), also include acidification, eutrophication, smog, dust, toxicity, depletion, land-use and waste.
Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) is an element of the LCA, which involves the development of an inventory of the flows of a product system, including inputs of water, energy, and raw materials and releases to air, land, and water.
4. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 This report presents the results of a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and carbon footprint analysis of a selection of industrial bamboo products that are manufactured by the company MOSO International. The analysis was done to determine the impact that their production and disposal have on the environment. Bamboo flooring, decking, panels and beams have been evaluated.
A comprehensive explanation is offered of how carbon sequestration can be calculated, following LCA methodology. This LCA is specific to the product evaluations described in this report and is not applicable to other manufacturers’ products. The assessment described here is done for the production (cradle-to-gate) plus the waste (end-of-life) stages of the bamboo products, but does not include the user stage, when the product is in use by consumers after purchase.
Bamboo products are increasingly found in western markets, with recorded international trade of some $2 bn in 2012, the majority of which is imported to European and North American consumer countries. As bamboo products are increasingly perceived as “green” and environmentally friendly, it is important to have an effective way to evaluate and verify these claims – to reassure producers and consumers, and help producers find ways to make their production system even “greener”. The LCA is a widely used and recognized method for achieving this.
This study shows that if production parameters are optimised, these industrial bamboo products can have a negative carbon footprint over their full life-cycle, from cradle to grave. This means that the credits gained through carbon sequestration, and from burning to produce electricity in a power plant at the end of each product’s life, outweigh the emissions caused by the production and transport processes.
At end-of-life, it is assumed that 90% of the bamboo products are incinerated in an electrical power plant and 10% will end-up in landfill, a realistic scenario for Western Europe. The LCA was done following International standards ISO 14040 and 14044. In addition, the capture and storage (sequestration) of CO2 has been taken into account.
It is hoped that the analysis described here will inform and encourage other bamboo producers to do similar life-cycle analyses of their production systems, to better understand where they can focus investments to reduce the environmental impacts of their products. It also aims to inform policy-makers about the sustainability of bamboo products, to encourage them to specify the use of this resource in national and international policies and investment plans.
5. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
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Life Cycle Analysis (also known as Life Cycle Assessment) is a means of systematically assessing the environmental aspects of a product’s life, from raw material extraction to disposal and/or recycling (“cradle to grave”). It is an accounting instrument to support environmental decision-making and managing environmental risks. LCA is based on several environmental indicators which, besides the Global Warming Potential (carbon footprint), also include acidification, eutrophication, smog, dust, toxicity, depletion, land-use and waste. It can increase our understanding of how “environmentally friendly” a product is and, because it looks at every stage in a product’s life, enable changes to be made at the right stages of a product’s life-cycle to improve its environmental sustainability.
To standardise methods and procedures and ensure comparability and quality, the International Standards Organisation developed standards for LCA (ISO 14040:2006) that are now the basis for many of the LCAs conducted today.
An LCA comprises four components:
1. Goal and Scope definition - A description of the product under study, its function, aspects of the life cycle to be studied and the purpose of the study.
2. Generation of a Life Cycle Inventory – a detailed account of all the inputs and outputs involved in the defined environmental impact categories.
3. Inventory analysis - Components of the analysis are organised to enable evaluation of impacts in commonly-used categories as defined at the outset. These enable specific questions to be answered e.g. energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, resources depletion and so on. 4. Interpretation - the results are reported in the most informative way and the need and
opportunities to reduce the impact on the environment are evaluated.
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6. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 LCA’s are increasingly used to evaluate the environmental impacts of building products including timber and other wood forest products, but have not yet been applied in the bamboo sector. Bamboo products are increasingly found in western markets, with recorded international trade of almost USD $2bn in 2012, the large majority of which is imported into affluent consumer countries and it is necessary that as bamboo products are increasingly perceived as “green” and environmentally friendly that means of evaluating this are employed. This can both reassure producers and consumers, and help producers to find ways of making the production system even “greener”.
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LCAs must be scientifically rigorous, and thus are technically challenging and time-consuming and may be expensive. But the benefits are many – they:
.
Enable bamboo producers to prioritize investments to reduce the environmental impacts of the product..
Reduce production costs by informing decisions that can increase the efficiency of resource use..
Identify improvements to the product that make it better suited to the task it is designed for..
Inform consumers of the environmentally-friendliness of the product, and thus help inform their purchasing and usage decisions. LCAs also form the basis of Environmental Product Declarations (e.g. http://www.environdec.com/) which are increasingly mandatory in sustainable building certification systems such as LEED and BREEAM..
Inform and engage policy-makers, and the environment-related policies and legislation they produce, of the environmental status of the product..
Help producers and retailers comply with relevant legislation, such as the display of environmental data on packaging.The report uses two single impact indicators, which have the advantage of expressing the combined environmental impact of all environmental categories in a product’s life cycle in one number:
.
The CO2 equivalent (carbon footprint), which can easily be understood and explained but omits other polluting emissions (like SOx, NOx, carcinogens, fine dust, etc.).
The eco-costs system, which incorporates 3000 polluting substances (as well as materials depletion). 1An important advantage of bamboo is its high growing speed. The sustainability issues related to the resulting yield of land, typically excluded in LCAs, are dealt with in Annex I.
1 For more information, see Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-costs
8. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 7. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Because of their rapid growth and widespread applications, giant bamboo species such as Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), which is widely grown in China and forms the backbone of the country’s bamboo sector, are increasingly seen as environmentally benign renewable material alternatives to wood products. Whilst aspects of wood and bamboo production are similar, bamboo production involves longer production chains than wood products, as well as longer transport distances to market. These factors are likely to influence the environmental profile of the products and need to be investigated and quantified within the LCA.
This study is based on the product portfolio of MOSO International BV:
.
Flooring & floor covering (solid strip, solid wide board, 2-ply flooring, industrial flooring, flattened bamboo).
Thermally modified decking and cladding.
Panels & beams (solid panel, 1-ply panel, veneer, solid joist)Engineered bamboo flooring products, e.g. bamboo top layer on a high or medium density fibreboard (MDF / HDF) carrier, were excluded from the scope of the study.
The LCA looked at the production chain of bamboo products manufactured by MOSO International BV following best practice and therefore is not typical for other industrial manufacturers of bamboo products.
The LCA is based on a cradle-to-warehouse-gate plus end-of-life analysis as shown in Figure 1. The use phase was kept out of the analysis, because the emissions in this step are negligible and are often based on user preferences (e.g. to apply oil to a floor or to leave it untreated).
Figure 1: System boundary: cradle-to-gate plus end-of-life. Manufacturing (China) Electrical power plant Landfill and municipal waste incineration MOSO (Netherlands) Use Plantation (China) Cradle-to-gate End-of-life
The report uses two single impact indicators, which have the advantage of expressing the combined environmental impact of all environmental categories in a product’s life cycle in one number:
.
The CO2 equivalent (carbon footprint), which can easily be understood and explained but omits other polluting emissions (like SOx, NOx, carcinogens, fine dust, etc.).
The eco-costs system, which incorporates 3000 polluting substances (as well as materials depletion). 1An important advantage of bamboo is its high growing speed. The sustainability issues related to the resulting yield of land, typically excluded in LCAs, are dealt with in Annex I.
1 For more information, see Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eco-costs
8. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 7. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Because of their rapid growth and widespread applications, giant bamboo species such as Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), which is widely grown in China and forms the backbone of the country’s bamboo sector, are increasingly seen as environmentally benign renewable material alternatives to wood products. Whilst aspects of wood and bamboo production are similar, bamboo production involves longer production chains than wood products, as well as longer transport distances to market. These factors are likely to influence the environmental profile of the products and need to be investigated and quantified within the LCA.
This study is based on the product portfolio of MOSO International BV:
.
Flooring & floor covering (solid strip, solid wide board, 2-ply flooring, industrial flooring, flattened bamboo).
Thermally modified decking and cladding.
Panels & beams (solid panel, 1-ply panel, veneer, solid joist)Engineered bamboo flooring products, e.g. bamboo top layer on a high or medium density fibreboard (MDF / HDF) carrier, were excluded from the scope of the study.
The LCA looked at the production chain of bamboo products manufactured by MOSO International BV following best practice and therefore is not typical for other industrial manufacturers of bamboo products.
The LCA is based on a cradle-to-warehouse-gate plus end-of-life analysis as shown in Figure 1. The use phase was kept out of the analysis, because the emissions in this step are negligible and are often based on user preferences (e.g. to apply oil to a floor or to leave it untreated).
Figure 1: System boundary: cradle-to-gate plus end-of-life. Manufacturing (China) Electrical power plant Landfill and municipal waste incineration MOSO (Netherlands) Use Plantation (China) Cradle-to-gate End-of-life
9. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Sequestration – the capture and storage of CO2 in wood – is an important concept for sustainability. It is also a highly complex topic that is subject to much discussion among experts. This chapter attempts to clarify some of the issues around this complex topic, including delayed pulse and system expansion (For a complete scientific analysis, see Vogtländer at al. (2014).
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Biogenic CO2 is captured in wood/bamboo during the growth of a tree or stem. Figure 2 shows the carbon pathway as it applies to a bamboo product. Here, there are no net carbon emissions, as carbon captured in the plant when it grows is recycled back into the atmosphere later. It is stored in the products the plant is used to produce and only released at the end-of the product’s life when it degrades or is burned. If a product is burned in an electrical power plant, then the system generates electricity or heat - which can replace electricity from fossil fuels and so gives the product ‘carbon credit’, a contribution towards a negative carbon footprint.
This phenomenon is known as the substitution approach in consequential modelling.2 For a complete
scientific analysis, see Vogtländer at al. (2014).
Note: the text in this chapter is largely taken from Section 4 of Vogtländer et al. (2014)
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10. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 2 See Section 14.5 of the ILCD Handbook (ECJRC 2010).
Carbon sequestration can be included in an LCA if the bamboo is burned for electricity or heat. The positive effect of temporary carbon storage in durable products cannot be analysed on the basis of a single product, although an attempt to do so has been made in two important LCA systems – the ILCD Handbook (EC-JRC 2010) and the PAS 2050:2011 Specification (BSI 2011) – by providing a credit for the temporary storage of carbon in bio-based renewable products. However, this method results in an overestimation of the benefits of temporary fixation of biogenic CO2 and should therefore be avoided in LCA (Vogtländer et al. 2014).
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CO2 is stored in vegetation, in the ocean and in products (e.g. buildings and furniture). The details of global carbon mass balances are very complex; however, understanding the basics of the LCA allocation method used in this report requires starting from the highest possible aggregation level (the so-called Tier 1 and Tier 2 approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - IPCC). Using this approach, we look at vast forest areas (e.g. in Scandinavia, the Baltic countries, European Russia, Siberia, Canada, New Zealand), where there is a continuous rotation of the forests. The local carbon sequestration effects caused by harvesting are levelled out within such regions, since only a small proportion of the trees are harvested each year.
Figure 3 provides a simplified schematic overview of this level of the global carbon cycle. Figure 2: The CO2 cycle on a product level
Production
Bamboo MOSO Waste
Use Bamboo
plantation End of life Electricity
Captured CO2
CO2 CO2
Figure 3: Global anthropogenic fluxes of CO2 (Gt/year) over the period 2000–2010
Ocean Combustion of
fossil fuels Forests
Figure 5 also shows that carbon storage in tropical areas is decreasing due to the conversion of forests to agricultural or cattle land, the development of infrastructure and illegal logging of tropical hardwood. Reduced impact logging is a better way to fulfil the market demand for tropical hardwood in a more sustainable way (e.g. van Dam and Savenije 2011, Hodgdon et al. 2015, Putz et al. 2012). Nevertheless, it still reduces the carbon sequestration capacity and the biodiversity of natural forests (Figure 6).
Anthropogenic CO2 emissions on a global scale can be characterized by three main flows:
.
Carbon emissions per year caused by burning fossil fuels: 6,4 Gt/year (Solomon et al. 2007).
Carbon emissions per year caused by deforestation in tropical and sub-tropical areas (Africa, Central America, South America, South and Southeast Asia): 1,93 Gt/year (FAO 2010).
Carbon sequestration per year by regrowth of forests on the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, North America, China): 0,85 Gt/year (FAO 2010).It can be concluded that the global carbon cycle can be significantly improved in the short term by making the following changes:
.
Burning fewer fossil fuels.
Stopping deforestation.
Intensifying the use of forests in the Northern Hemisphere through better management and wood production on plantations.
Afforestation (planting trees on soils that have not supported forests in the recent past)As we have seen above, increasing the use of wood in buildings would appear to be an additional approach. However, it is unrealistic to think that merely using more wood in design and construction will lead to carbon sequestration and thus counteract global warming. Among other things, such a result depends on the origin of the wood and the growth of wood markets. Yet it is clear that if there is no change in the area of forests and no change in the volume of wood used in buildings, there will be no change in the amount of sequestered carbon globally and hence no effect on carbon emissions. There will be additional carbon sequestration only when more carbon is stored in forests (either by area expansion or by increased productivity in existing forests through improved management), and when the total volume of wood in buildings has increased. In boreal and temperate regions such as in Europe and North America, for example, the forest area has been increasing steadily for several decades due to afforestation and reforestation (see Figure 4), which has resulted in increased carbon storage over the past few decades (see Figure 5).
12. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 11. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Figure 6: Higher demand for tropical hardwood leads to deforestation and less carbon sequestration Figure 5. Trends in carbon storage in forests from 1990–2010 (Source: FAO 2010)
Figure 4: Higher demand for boreal and temperate softwood from Europe and North America leads to more carbon sequestration because of afforestation and reforestation.
Afforestation Plantations Naturally regenerated Extra reforestation Forest area Time 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
Carbon stored in forests
(million tonnes) 1990 2000 2010 Oceania Europe Asia Africa South America North and Central Americal Natural forests Plantations
(Currently appox 35%-40% of FSC wood)
Forest area
Time Deforestation Loss of biodiverstity
Figure 5 also shows that carbon storage in tropical areas is decreasing due to the conversion of forests to agricultural or cattle land, the development of infrastructure and illegal logging of tropical hardwood. Reduced impact logging is a better way to fulfil the market demand for tropical hardwood in a more sustainable way (e.g. van Dam and Savenije 2011, Hodgdon et al. 2015, Putz et al. 2012). Nevertheless, it still reduces the carbon sequestration capacity and the biodiversity of natural forests (Figure 6).
Anthropogenic CO2 emissions on a global scale can be characterized by three main flows:
.
Carbon emissions per year caused by burning fossil fuels: 6,4 Gt/year (Solomon et al. 2007).
Carbon emissions per year caused by deforestation in tropical and sub-tropical areas (Africa, Central America, South America, South and Southeast Asia): 1,93 Gt/year (FAO 2010).
Carbon sequestration per year by regrowth of forests on the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, North America, China): 0,85 Gt/year (FAO 2010).It can be concluded that the global carbon cycle can be significantly improved in the short term by making the following changes:
.
Burning fewer fossil fuels.
Stopping deforestation.
Intensifying the use of forests in the Northern Hemisphere through better management and wood production on plantations.
Afforestation (planting trees on soils that have not supported forests in the recent past)As we have seen above, increasing the use of wood in buildings would appear to be an additional approach. However, it is unrealistic to think that merely using more wood in design and construction will lead to carbon sequestration and thus counteract global warming. Among other things, such a result depends on the origin of the wood and the growth of wood markets. Yet it is clear that if there is no change in the area of forests and no change in the volume of wood used in buildings, there will be no change in the amount of sequestered carbon globally and hence no effect on carbon emissions. There will be additional carbon sequestration only when more carbon is stored in forests (either by area expansion or by increased productivity in existing forests through improved management), and when the total volume of wood in buildings has increased. In boreal and temperate regions such as in Europe and North America, for example, the forest area has been increasing steadily for several decades due to afforestation and reforestation (see Figure 4), which has resulted in increased carbon storage over the past few decades (see Figure 5).
12. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 11. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Figure 6: Higher demand for tropical hardwood leads to deforestation and less carbon sequestration Figure 5. Trends in carbon storage in forests from 1990–2010 (Source: FAO 2010)
Figure 4: Higher demand for boreal and temperate softwood from Europe and North America leads to more carbon sequestration because of afforestation and reforestation.
Afforestation Plantations Naturally regenerated Extra reforestation Forest area Time 120 100 80 60 40 20 0
Carbon stored in forests
(million tonnes) 1990 2000 2010 Oceania Europe Asia Africa South America North and Central Americal Natural forests Plantations
(Currently appox 35%-40% of FSC wood)
Forest area
Time Deforestation Loss of biodiverstity
13. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Carbon sequestration by wood in houses and offices is slowly rising globally due to population growth. This additional carbon sequestration, however, is low in comparison with the volume of standing trees in the forests: less than 30% of the carbon above the ground ends up in housing (see Section 5, Step 1 and Step 4 in Vogtländer et al [2014]) and for bamboo this difference is even greater. See also Chapter 5 of this report.
Another key issue is that carbon sequestration does not increase per house that is built, but per extra house that is built beyond the number of houses required to replace discarded dwellings. This point is often overlooked by LCA practitioners when studying carbon sequestration at the product level during the LCI (Life-Cycle Inventory, i.e., analysis of all input and output flows in the product system) phase of the assessment. These conclusions have implications for bamboo as well. Creating additional demand for bamboo would have an effect on carbon sequestration that is similar to that of European and North American wood, leading to better forest management and an increase in bamboo forest area (Lou Yiping et al. 2010).
Figure 7. Bamboo is increasingly used by Western architects as building material, for example in the Barajas International Airport in Madrid designed by Richard Rogers.
14. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
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The production system for bamboo from cradle-to-warehouse-gate is depicted in Figure 8. The calculations are based on the production system used by the company MOSO International BV for products consumed in the Netherlands:
.
Type of bamboo: Phyllostachys Pubescens (density 700 kg / m3, length up to 15 m, diameter on the ground 10-12 cm, wall thickness 9mm), also called ‘Moso bamboo;’.
Plantation and first processing: the Anji region, Zhejiang province, China;.
Final processing: Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and Jianyang, Nanping county, Fujian province, both in China;.
The product is shipped via Shanghai and Rotterdam to the warehouse of MOSO International BV in the Netherlands (Zwaag).16. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 15. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
3 Note: a cogeneration plant for electricity and heat is an opportunity for the future that could reduce the carbon footprint even further.
The three production technologies are further explained below and the LCI is provided for each technology.
A more comprehensive description of the production processes and tables for the other varieties can be found in van der Lugt (2008) and van der Lugt et al. (2009a, 2009b). The total scores (carbon footprint as well as eco-costs) of the various processes for producing the industrial bamboo products are provided in Chapter 6.
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Laminating fine, straight strips to produce panels, beams and flooring boards is the most common technology for industrial bamboo products. The style is called plain pressed (flat strips) or side pressed (strips on side) depending on how the strips are positioned on the product. The strips can be bleached (resulting in a natural colour), carbonized (resulting in a caramel colour) or double carbonized (resulting in a chocolate colour). This type of bamboo product is referred to as plybamboo.
The standard length of the bamboo strips is 2,66 metres throughout the Chinese bamboo industry. Usually about 8 metres (3 x 2,66 m) of a harvested bamboo stem will be used in the development of bamboo products. The bottom two thirds of the 2,66 metres are mostly used for manufacturing industrial bamboo materials, such as laminated bamboo boards, while the upper third is used in smaller bamboo products, such as blinds and chopsticks. The bottom segments of the stem are first processed into rough strips (approximately 2 630 x 23 x 8 mm). This is done near the plantations. The strips are then transported to the manufacturing site (See Figure 8). In the case of MOSO International BV, the distance to the manufacturing site for laminated bamboo board was 300 km.
Figure 9. Plybamboo boards are available in various colours, sizes and styles. In the plain pressed style; the nodes are clearly visible (see the two pictures top right). In the side pressed version, they are less visible (two pictures bottom right).
The calculations for the LCAs have been made with the computer programme Simapro version 8.04, applying LCI databases of Ecoinvent v3.1 (allocation, recycled content, 2014) and Idemat 2015 (a database of the Delft University of Technology, partly based on Ecoinvent data).
In general, there are three main production techniques used for the development of industrial bamboo products:
.
Lamination of strips (700 kg / m3).
Compression of rough strips / fibres (1100-1200kg / m3).
Flattened bamboo (850 kg / m3)The eco-costs of various derived products can be calculated based on these production techniques. For example, a 1-ply plybamboo panel and a 5-ply plybamboo panel are produced in a similar way and a finished product will only have slightly lower (1-ply, less resin content, less pressing) or slightly higher (five-ply, more resin, more pressing) eco-costs.
The necessary heat for manufacture is generated by combusting the sawdust and bamboo waste produced during the production process3. Electricity is from the local grid.
15km Harvesting
bamboo manufacturingStrip Shanghaiharbour
300km Plybamboo / SWB factory 600km 19208km 115km Rotterdam harbour Warehouse
Figure 8. The production system for bamboo products used by MOSO International BV (cradle-to-warehouse-gate).
16. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 15. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
3 Note: a cogeneration plant for electricity and heat is an opportunity for the future that could reduce the carbon footprint even further.
The three production technologies are further explained below and the LCI is provided for each technology.
A more comprehensive description of the production processes and tables for the other varieties can be found in van der Lugt (2008) and van der Lugt et al. (2009a, 2009b). The total scores (carbon footprint as well as eco-costs) of the various processes for producing the industrial bamboo products are provided in Chapter 6.
CXd`eXk`fef]jki`gj gcpYXdYff
Laminating fine, straight strips to produce panels, beams and flooring boards is the most common technology for industrial bamboo products. The style is called plain pressed (flat strips) or side pressed (strips on side) depending on how the strips are positioned on the product. The strips can be bleached (resulting in a natural colour), carbonized (resulting in a caramel colour) or double carbonized (resulting in a chocolate colour). This type of bamboo product is referred to as plybamboo.
The standard length of the bamboo strips is 2,66 metres throughout the Chinese bamboo industry. Usually about 8 metres (3 x 2,66 m) of a harvested bamboo stem will be used in the development of bamboo products. The bottom two thirds of the 2,66 metres are mostly used for manufacturing industrial bamboo materials, such as laminated bamboo boards, while the upper third is used in smaller bamboo products, such as blinds and chopsticks. The bottom segments of the stem are first processed into rough strips (approximately 2 630 x 23 x 8 mm). This is done near the plantations. The strips are then transported to the manufacturing site (See Figure 8). In the case of MOSO International BV, the distance to the manufacturing site for laminated bamboo board was 300 km.
Figure 9. Plybamboo boards are available in various colours, sizes and styles. In the plain pressed style; the nodes are clearly visible (see the two pictures top right). In the side pressed version, they are less visible (two pictures bottom right).
The calculations for the LCAs have been made with the computer programme Simapro version 8.04, applying LCI databases of Ecoinvent v3.1 (allocation, recycled content, 2014) and Idemat 2015 (a database of the Delft University of Technology, partly based on Ecoinvent data).
In general, there are three main production techniques used for the development of industrial bamboo products:
.
Lamination of strips (700 kg / m3).
Compression of rough strips / fibres (1100-1200kg / m3).
Flattened bamboo (850 kg / m3)The eco-costs of various derived products can be calculated based on these production techniques. For example, a 1-ply plybamboo panel and a 5-ply plybamboo panel are produced in a similar way and a finished product will only have slightly lower (1-ply, less resin content, less pressing) or slightly higher (five-ply, more resin, more pressing) eco-costs.
The necessary heat for manufacture is generated by combusting the sawdust and bamboo waste produced during the production process3. Electricity is from the local grid.
15km Harvesting
bamboo manufacturingStrip Shanghaiharbour
300km Plybamboo / SWB factory 600km 19208km 115km Rotterdam harbour Warehouse
Figure 8. The production system for bamboo products used by MOSO International BV (cradle-to-warehouse-gate).
17. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
4 EURO 3 refers to the European Emission Standard for vehicles as of 2000. Trucks meeting this standard are often used in this case for local transport, sometimes trucks meeting more advanced emissions standards
(e.g. EURO 4 – 2005, EURO 5 – 2008 or EURO 6 -2014) are used as well.
Table 1: Input data and results in CO2 equivalent (carbon footprint, cradle-to-gate) of carbonized 3-layer laminated bamboo board (consisting of two layers of 5 mm plain pressed at the outsides, and one layer of 10 mm side pressed in the core). The functional unit (FU) used as the base element for this assessment is one board of 2440 x 1220 x 20 mm (2,98 m2), with a weight of 41,7 kilograms (based on a density of 700 kg/m3).
Description of process step
1. Cultivation and harvesting from plantation
Gasoline consumption
2. Transport from plantation to strip manufacturing facility
Eco-costs of a 5 tons truck (EURO 34, transport of 23.1 FUs)
3. Strip making
4. Transport from strip manufacturing facility to factory
Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 5. Rough planing
6. Strip selection 7. Carbonization
8. Drying carbonized strips 9. Fine planing
10. Glue application (1-layer boards) Added amount of Melamine formaldehyde (dry condition)
11. Pressing strips to 1- layer board 12. Sanding 1- layer board 13. Glue application (3-layer board) Added amount Emulsion Poly Isocyanate (dry condition)
14. Pressing three layers to one board 15. Sawing
16. Sanding 3-layer board
17. Dust absorption (during all steps) 18. Transport from factory to harbour Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 19. Transport from harbour to harbour Eco-costs (20ft container in a transoceanic freight ship, 19208 km)
20. Transport from harbour to warehouse Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO5, 115km) TOTAL carbonized Amount 0,224 30 1,38 12,51 8,62 4,73 9,66 5,8 0,483 1,89 1,62 0,908 1,65 0,29 0,86 8,67 12,51 801 4,80 Unit liter / FU km / truck kWh/ FU ton.km / FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU CO2e / FU 0,651 0,699 0,797 2,314 4,977 2,731 5,577 3,349 1,657 1,091 0,935 1,476 0,953 0,167 0,497 5,005 2,314 6,456 0,806 42,45 CO2e / kg 0,0156 0,0168 0,0191 0,0555 0,1193 0,0655 0,1337 0,0803 0,0397 0,0262 0,0224 0,0354 0,0228 0,0040 0,0119 0,1200 0,0555 0,1548 0,0193 1,018 Percentage 1,5% 1,6% 1,9% 5,5% 11,7% 6,4% 13,1% 7,9% 3,9% 2,6% 2,2% 3,5% 2,2% 0,4% 1,2% 11,8% 5,5% 15,2% 1,9% 100,0%
18. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 Table 2. Input data and results in eco-costs (€, cradle to gate) of carbonized 3-layer laminated bamboo board (consisting of two layers of 5 mm plain pressed on the outside, and one layer of 10 mm side pressed in the core). The FU used as the base element for this assessment is one board of 2,440 x 1,220 x 20 mm (2,98 m2), with a weight of 41,7 kilograms (based on a density of 700 kg / m3).
Description of process step
1. Cultivation and harvesting from plantation
Gasoline consumption
2. Transport from plantation to strip manufacturing facility
Eco-costs of a 5 tons truck (EURO 3, transport of 23.1 FUs)
3. Strip making
4. Transport from strip manufacturing facility to factory
Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 5. Rough planing
6. Strip selection 7. Carbonization
8. Drying carbonized strips 9. Fine planing
10. Glue application (1-layer boards) Added amount of Melamine formaldehyde (dry condition)
11. Pressing strips to 1- layer board 12. Sanding 1- layer board 13. Glue application (3-layer board) Added amount of Emulsion Poly Isocyanate (dry condition)
14. Pressing three layers to one board 15. Sawing
16. Sanding 3-layer board
17. Dust absorption (during all steps) 18. Transport from factory to harbour Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 19. Transport from harbour to harbour Eco-costs (20,ft container in a transoceanic freight ship, 19,208 km)
20. Transport from harbour to warehouse Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO5, 115km) TOTAL carbonized Amount 0,224 30 1,38 12,51 8,62 4,73 9,66 5,8 0,483 1,89 1,62 0,908 1,65 0,29 0,86 8,67 12,51 801 4,80 Unit liter / FU km / truck kWh/ FU ton.km / FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU Ecocosts/FU 0,215 0,094 0,185 0,488 1,153 0,633 1,292 0,776 0,541 0,253 0,217 0,616 0,221 0,039 0,115 1,159 0,488 3,268 0,153 11,90 Ecocosts/kg 0,0052 0,0023 0,0044 0,0117 0,0276 0,0152 0,0310 0,0186 0,013 0,0061 0,0052 0,0148 0,0053 0,0009 0,0028 0,0278 0,0117 0,0784 0,0037 0,285 Percentage 1,8% 0,8% 1,6% 4,1% 9,7% 5,3% 10,9% 6,5% 4,5 % 2,1% 1,8% 5,2% 1,9% 0,3% 1,0% 9,7% 4,1% 27,5% 1,3% 100,0%
19. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
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A new production technology places rough bamboo strips in resin after which, under strong compression, they are pressed in moulds to form high-density beams and panels. The result is an extremely hard material (Brinell Hardness ≥ 9,5 kg / mm2 following EN 1534) that looks almost identical to tropical hardwood. Because of the hardness, the material is ideally used for top layers of flooring and panels for tabletops as well as for outdoor decking. A benefit of this production technology is that bamboo strips of lower quality can be used as inputs. The product is available in natural or caramel colours and is known as ’High Density’ or ’strand woven bamboo.’ A recent innovation thermally modifies the input strips for outdoor use, and increases the durability to the highest class possible (Class 1, according to EN 350). Due to the higher resin content (6,2% instead of 3,5%) and compression, this product has an even higher density than the regular strand woven bamboo boards (1,200 kg / m3 instead of 1,080 kg / m3). However, because of thermal modification (an electricity-intensive process) and the increased resin content, the environmental impact of this product is higher than that of regular strand woven bamboo.
Figure 10. Strand woven bamboo beams are made by compressing rough bamboo fibres in moulds under very high pressure.
20. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 Table 3. Input data and results in CO2 equivalent (carbon footprint, cradle to gate) of a carbonized strand woven bamboo beam. The FU used as the base element for this assessment is one solid beam, gross size 1,900 X 110 X 140 mm, net size 1,800 x 100 x 130 mm with a weight of 25,3 kilograms (based on a density of 1,080 kg / m3).
Description of process step
1. Cultivation and harvesting of bamboo on sustainable managed plantations Gasoline consumption
2. Transport from plantation to strip manufacturing facility
Eco-costs of a 5 tons truck (EURO 3, transport of 23.1 FUs)
3. Strip making
4. Transport from strip manufacturing facility to factory
Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 5. Rough planing
6. Splitting strips in half 7. Carbonization
8. Drying carbonized strips 9. Crushing strips 10. Glue application
Added amount of phenol formaldehyde (dry condition)
11. Pressing strips to beam 12. Activating glue in oven 13. Sawing beams 14. Sanding beams
15. Transport from factory to harbour Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 16. Transport from harbour to harbour Eco-costs (19,208 km, 20 ft container in a transoceanic freight ship)
17. Transport from harbour to warehouse Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO5, 115km) TOTAL carbonized Amount 0,0832 30 0,8 7,44 5,28 0,8 2,8 5,624 1,36 1,68 2,32 2,8 0,352 0,188 7,44 476,8 2,88 Unit liter / FU km / truck kWh/ FU ton.km / FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU CO2e / FU 0,242 0,262 0,462 1,376 3,048 0,462 1,617 3,247 0,785 2,672 1,339 1,617 0,203 0,109 1,376 3,843 0,484 23,144 CO2e / kg 0,0096 0,0104 0,0183 0,0545 0,1206 0,0183 0,0640 0,1285 0,0311 0,1057 0,0530 0,0640 0,0080 0,0043 0,0545 0,1521 0,0191 0,916 Percentage 1,0% 1,1% 2,0% 5,9% 13,2% 2,0% 7,0% 14,0% 3,4% 11,5% 5,8% 7,0% 0,9% 0,5% 5,9% 16,6% 2,1% 100,0%
21. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Table 4. Input data and results in eco-costs (€, cradle to gate) of a carbonized strand woven bamboo beam. The FU used as the base element for this assessment is one solid beam, gross size 1,900 X 110 X 140 mm, net size 1,800 x 100 x 130 mm with a weight of 25,3 kilograms (based on a density of 1,080 kg / m3).
Description of process step
1. Cultivation and harvesting of bamboo on sustainable managed plantations Gasoline consumption
2. Transport from plantation to strip manufacturing facility
Eco-costs of a 5 tons truck (EURO3, transport of 61,5 FUs)
3. Strip making
4. Transport from strip manufacturing facility to factory
Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 5. Rough planing
6. Splitting strips in half 7. Carbonization
8. Drying carbonized strips 9. Crushing strips 10. Glue application
Added amount of Phenol formaldehyde (wet condition)
11. Pressing strips to beam 12. Activating glue in oven 13. Sawing beams 14. Sanding beams
15. Transport from factory to harbour Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 16. Transport from harbour to harbour Eco-costs (19,208km, 20 ft container in a transoceanic freight ship)
17. Transport from harbour to warehouse Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO5, 115km) TOTAL carbonized Amount 0,0832 30 0,8 7,44 5,28 0,8 2,8 5,624 1,36 1,68 2,32 2,8 0,352 0,188 7,44 476,8 2,88 Unit liter / FU km / truck kWh/ FU ton.km / FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU Ecocosts/FU 0,08 0,035 0,107 0,290 0,706 0,107 0,374 0,752 0,182 1,074 0,310 0,374 0,047 0,025 0,290 1,945 0,092 6,793 Ecocosts/kg 0,0032 0,0014 0,0042 0,0115 0,0279 0,0042 0,0148 0,0298 0,0072 0,0425 0,0123 0,0148 0,0019 0,0010 0,0115 0,077 0,0036 0,269 Percentage 1,2% 0,5% 1,6% 4,3% 10,4% 1,6% 5,5% 11,1% 2,7% 15,8% 4,6% 5,5% 0,7% 0,4% 4,3% 28,6% 1,4% 100,0%
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Another recent technology involves cutting the original bamboo stem longitudinally in half and flattening it using a special steam treatment process, after which it can be used to produce flooring board. As with the strand woven bamboo technology, a larger portion of the bamboo stem can be used as input materials (usually the whole 8m stem). The best flattened segments (2,66m in length) are used as top layer in flooring boards because of their hardness (Brinell Hardness ≥ 9,5 kg/mm2; EN 1534), whereas lower quality boards (with small visual defects, smaller width) are used as middle or bottom layers of a 3-ply flooring board. This production process is more efficient (a larger part of the input stem can be used; there is less waste) and less glue is required than for plybamboo and strand woven bamboo
22. INBAR Technical Report No. 35 Table 5. Input data and results in CO2 equivalent (carbon footprint, cradle to gate) of a flattened bamboo board. The FU used as the base element for this assessment is one 3-ply flooring board, 1210x125x18 mm with a weight of 1,819 kilograms.
Description of process step
1. Cultivation and harvesting from sustainably managed plantation Gasoline consumption
2. Transport from plantation to factory Eco-costs of a 5 tons truck (EURO3, transport of 780 FUs)
3. Cutting stem segments longitudinally in half
4. Removing internal parts of the stem 5. Removing outside parts of the stem 6. Shortening
7. Softening – vapour treatment 8. Flattening boards
9. Finalizing shape - press 10. Surface planing (2 sides) 11. Drying flat boards 12. Cutting to final width 13a. Glue application
Added amount Emulsion Poly Isocyanate (dry condition)
13b. Pressing three layers to one board 14. Balancing (climate chamber) 15. Cutting to final length
16. Transport from factory to harbour Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 17. Transport from harbour to harbour Eco-costs (20ft container in a transoceanic freight ship, 19,208 km)
18. Transport from harbour to warehouse Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO5, 115km) TOTAL Amount 0,006 120 0,0066 0,079 0,026 0,006 0,013 0,063 0,079 0,070 0,459 0,0258 0,023 0,117 0,027 0,0158 0,546 35 0,21 Unit liter / FU km / truck kWh/ FU kWh/ FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU CO2e / FU 0,016 0,087 0,004 0,045 0,015 0,004 0,007 0,036 0,045 0,041 0,265 0,015 0,037 0,067 0,015 0,009 0,101 0,282 0,035 1,13 CO2e / kg 0,0090 0,0478 0,0021 0,0250 0,0083 0,0020 0,0040 0,0200 0,0250 0,0223 0,1457 0,0082 0,0206 0,0370 0,0085 0,0050 0,0555 0,1548 0,0193 0,620 Percentage 1,5% 7,7% 0,3% 4,0% 1,3% 0,3% 0,6% 3,2% 4,0% 3,6% 23,5% 1,3% 3,3% 6,0% 1,4% 0,8% 8,9% 25,0% 3,1% 100,0%
23. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
Table 6. Input data and results in eco-costs (€, cradle to gate) of a flattened bamboo board. The FU used as the base element for this assessment is one 3-ply flooring board, 1,210x125x18 mm with a weight of 1,819 kilograms.
Description of process step
1. Cultivation and harvesting from sustainably managed plantation Gasoline consumption
2. Transport from plantation to factory Eco-costs of a 5 tons truck (EURO3, transport of 780 FUs)
3. Cutting stem segments longitudinally in half
4. Removing internal parts of the stem 5. Removing outside parts of the stem 6. Shortening
7. Softening – vapour treatment 8. Flattening boards
9. Finalizing shape - press 10. Surface planing (2 sides) 11. Drying flat boards 12. Cutting to final width 13a. Glue application
Added amount Emulsion Poly Isocyanate (dry condition)
13b. Pressing three layers to one board 14. Balancing (climate chamber) 15. Cutting to final length
16. Transport from factory to harbour Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO3, 300km) 17. Transport from harbour to harbour Eco-costs (20 ft container in a transoceanic freight ship, 19,208 km)
18. Transport from harbour to warehouse Eco-costs (28 tons truck EURO5, 115km) TOTAL Amount 0,006 120 0,0066 0,079 0,026 0,006 0,013 0,063 0,079 0,070 0,459 0,0258 0,023 0,117 0,027 0,0158 0,546 35 0,21 Unit liter / FU km / truck kWh/ FU kWh/ FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/ FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kg / FU kWh/FU kWh/FU kWh/FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU ton.km / FU Ecocosts/FU 0,005 0,054 0,001 0,011 0,004 0,001 0,002 0,008 0,011 0,009 0,061 0,003 0,016 0,016 0,004 0,002 0,021 0,143 0,007 0,38 Ecocosts/kg 0,0030 0,0300 0,0005 0,0058 0,0019 0,0005 0,0009 0,0046 0,0058 0,0052 0,0337 0,0019 0,0086 0,0086 0,0020 0,0012 0,0117 0,0784 0,0037 0,208 Percentage 1,4% 14,4% 0,2% 2,8% 0,9% 0,2% 0,4% 2,2% 2,8% 2,5% 16,2% 0,9% 4,1% 4,1% 0,9% 0,6% 5,6% 37,7% 1,8% 100,0%
24. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
As explained in Chapter 2, a credit can be earned for avoided fossil fuels if the bamboo (or any other bioproduct such as wood) is burned for electricity or heat.
In many Western European countries, the large majority of wood and bamboo products waste end up in electrical power plants. Although the efficiency of a modern coal-fired electrical power plant is higher, i.e. 45% (IEA 2007), the current practice is to combust the biomass in smaller electrical power plants specializing with an approximately 30% lower efficiency than the large coal plants. It is estimated that just 10% of the material perishes in landfills, as specified in the NEN 8006 on LCA. The end-of-life credit for electricity production from bamboo waste is (data from the Idemat database: Idemat2015 Hardwood 12%
MC, bamboo, cork, combustion in small electric power plant):
.
Carbon footprint: 0,779 kg CO2 per kg of bamboo waste;.
Eco-costs: 0,145 € per kg of bamboo waste.In this report we assume that 90% of bamboo products will eventually be combusted for the production of electricity and/or heat, leading to a credit of:
.
Carbon footprint: 0,779 x 0,9 = 0,70 kg CO2 per kg of bamboo product (MC 12%);.
Eco-costs: 0,145 x 0,9 = 0,131 euro eco-costs per kg of bamboo product (MC 12%).Although the above scores are according to the formal LCA (according to ISO 14040 and 14044) and the European LCA manual (EC-JRC 2010), the effects of the carbon sequestration at the global level must be taken into account before the final result can be calculated. This is treated in the next two chapters.
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25. INBAR Technical Report No. 35
The calculation of carbon sequestration resulting from land-use change and additional use of bamboo products in the building industry involves five steps (the calculation updates the data in Vogtländer et al. [2014])]:
1. Calculating the ratio of carbon stored in forests to carbon stored in end products (plybamboo, strand woven bamboo, flattened bamboo). This step complies with the baseline LCA
2. Calculating a land-use change correction factor to reflect the fact that another type of biomass existed in the area before it was changed to forests / plantations). This step complies with the IPCC standards.
3. Calculating the additional stored carbon in forests and plantations (see Figure 4 in Chapter 2) due to the growth of bamboo production and its allocation to the end products. This step is more realistic than assigning credits for temporary carbon storage as described in PAS 2050 and the ILCD handbook. For more details, see Vogtländer et al. (2014).
4. Calculating the additional stored carbon in the building industry.
5. Calculating the total result of carbon sequestration requires the multiplication of the results of Steps 1, 2, 3 plus the result of Step 4.
Detailed calculations are provided below for the Chinese bamboo production system. The calculations relate to carbon sequestration in industrial bamboo products from cradle to grave. The geographical system boundary is China, as defined by FAO (2010).
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An end product generally derives from a larger amount of biomass than is contained in its final weight.
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One kg of bamboo equates to about 0,42 kg of bamboo in the end product (see also annex I). The amounts vary for different bamboo products:.
0,42 kg d.m. of bamboo, is used in 0,425 kg d.m. flattened bamboo (the resin content is on average approx 1,3 % of the weight of flattened bamboo), 0,431 kg d.m. plybamboo (the resin content is on average approx 2,5 % of the weight of plybamboo),0,435 kg d.m. Strand Woven Bamboo - SWB (the resin content is 3,5 % of the weight of SWB) and for thermally modified “outdoor” SWB 0,446 kg d.m. (the resin content is on average approx 6,2% of the weight of outdoor SWB)..
One kg d.m. of flattened bamboo originates from 1/0,425=2,35 kg dry matter above-ground biomass on the bamboo plantation. One kg d.m. of plybamboo originates from 1/0,431=2,32 kg d.m. above- ground biomass. One kg d.m. indoor strand woven bamboo originates from 1/0.435=2,30 kg d.m. above-ground biomass and one kg outdoor strand woven bamboo originates from 1/0,446=2,24 kg above ground biomass.The carbon content of bamboo is 0,5 kg C per 1 kg(Aalde et al. 2006, Verchot et al. 2006). With a molar weight ratio of 3,67 for CO2 versus C, this leads to the following carbon storage on the plantation related to above ground biomass: one kg d.m. flattened bamboo is equivalent to storage of 2,35×0,5x3,67= 4,31 kg CO2; one kg d.m. plybamboo is equivalent to storage of 2,32×0,5x3,67=4,25 kg CO2; one kg d.m. indoor SWB is equivalent to storage of 2,30×0,50x3,67=4,22 kg CO2; and one kg d.m. of outdoor SWB equals storage of 2,24 x0.5x3,67 = 4,11 kg CO2.
These numbers only concern the above ground biomass involved in the final bamboo product. However, the most important aspect of carbon storage is underground because of the extensive root system and carbon captured in the soil layer, with a stem – ecosystem ratio of 3.15. This number is somewhat
conservative compared with various recent studies found in Lou Yiping et al. (2010), see footnote. The additional CO2 stored underground that is related to bamboo products on the market should also be taken into account, with the result that:
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One kg d.m. flattened bamboo is related to 4,31x3,1=13,37 kg CO2 storage in the bamboo ecosystem;.
One kg d.m. plybamboo is related to 4,25x3,1=13,21 kg CO2 storage in the bamboo ecosystem;.
One kg d.m. indoor strand woven bamboo is related to 4,22x3,1=13,09 kg CO2 storage in the bamboo ecosystem for the outdoor strand woven bamboo version, this is 4,11x3,1 = 12,75 kg CO2 storage in the bamboo ecosystem.5 Besides in the trunks, branches and shrubs, there is CO2 stored below ground in the soil and roots of a plantation. Zhou and Jiang (2004) found that, for a medium intensity-managed Moso bamboo plantation in Lin’an, Zhejiang province, the distribution of biomass above ground versus below ground is 32,2% and 68,8% respectively. Furthermore, Lou Yiping et al (2010) reported the following “Moso bamboo forest ecosystem carbon storage capacity was reported to be between 102 t C/ha and 289 t C/ha, of which 19-33% was stored within the bamboo culms and vegetative layer and 67-81% stored within the soil layer (rhizomes, roots and soil carbon)."
